IVRCL to sell 37.5% stake in IOT Utkal Energy Services

SummaryHyderabad-based road and real estate developer IVRCL, which is under a takeover threat from Subhash Chandra-promoted Essel Group, is looking to sell 37.5% stake in IOT Utkal Energy Services, a special purpose vehicle that is building a storage terminal for IndianOil’s upcoming refinery at Paradip, Orissa, for R3,000 crore.

Hyderabad-based road and real estate developer IVRCL, which is under a takeover threat from Subhash Chandra-promoted Essel Group, is looking to sell 37.5% stake in IOT Utkal Energy Services, a special purpose vehicle that is building a storage terminal for IndianOil’s upcoming refinery at Paradip, Orissa, for R3,000 crore.

Analysts say IVRCL chairman Sudhir Reddy may receive roughly R400 crore from the sale as the terminal will be ready by October 2012.

IOT Infrastructure & Energy Services, which has the first right of refusal for the IVRCL stake, is keen to pick up the stake and a deal is likely to be signed by July, people familiar with the development said.

“If there is a right party and the right price, we will look to exit the JV,” Balram Reddy, IVRCL’s chief financial officer, told FE in a telephonic interview. “IOT has the first right of refusal in this project.”

“IVRCL would first take an offer from a third party, and if IOT makes an offer above the third party’s offer, the stake would go to IOT,” he said, adding, “Our strength is in construction. Since the storage terminal in Paradip is nearing completion, we will exit and look to invest in new projects.” Shares of IVRCL were up 4.45% to close at R73.90 on the BSE on Thursday.

The terminal, which can store both crude oil and finished petroleum products like petrol and diesel, is being constructed on a BOOT (build-own-operate-transfer) scheme. The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the project, with over 15 lakh cubic metres storage capacity, is being executed by IOT’s EPC division and IVRCL. IOT’s terminalling division is carrying out the operations and maintenance (O&M).

“The company would not like to comment on the matter,” IOT managing director Jayanta Bhuyan said when asked whether his company will make a buy offer for IVRCL’s stake. IOT operates 17 terminals, of which it owns the ones in Mumbai, Goa, Chennai and Paradip. The others are on a build and operate basis.

Analysts said investments in storage terminals fetch good returns as the business is stable. “Refineries require huge storage facilities,” said an analyst, who tracks the oil and gas segment. “In the case of the Panipat project, the terminal has only a single